MAIN PHOTO: Sparky and Richard Prevost with Station 45 present Jacob with his Honorary Firefighter certificate at the N.S. Fire School. (Healey photo)
WAVERLEY: Jacob Scott won’t soon forget May 4.
That was the day his wish to be a firefighter for a day was granted by Make-A-Wish Foundation of Canada. It was fitting that his wish to be a firefighter happened on what is International Firefighters Day.
The day began for the 14-year-old Cole Harbour resident with a pick up shortly before 9 a.m. from Inn on the Lake in Fall River. His mom said the staff treated Jacob and the family like rockstars.
It was there that Station 45 Fall River volunteer firefighters Nick Yeomans and Richard Prevost surprised the youngster, who has had epilepsy and experiencing 50-60 seizures a day, with a pickup in style in Quint 45.
When Yeomans and Prevost greeted Jacob and his parents in the hotel room they had, he was all dressed complete in his firefighter uniform and ready for his day to begin. They took him downstairs, and as he was walking towards the door a friendly face, his EPA Stephanie Bourque at Joseph Giles Elementary School, met him much to his surprise.
“What are you doing here?” said Jacob to Bourque.
“I’m here for your big day Jacob. I wouldn’t miss it,” said Bourque in response.
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After the meeting, Jacob led the entourage including the two firefighters outside. The look on his face was that of a kid on Christmas morning with the gift they really wanted under the Christmas tree.
He went right to where the hoses hook up to get filled with water, before walking around and inspecting every compartment and such on the truck.
After talking to the firefighters and some photos, it was time to get into the Captains seat on Quint 45 and head out to a short drive around Schwarzwald before going to Station 45 on Fall River Road where Jacob would get to take a tour and play with some of the firefighting hoses with some of the career firefighters that are based at the fire station 24/7.
Jacob was able to undergo a new type of brain surgery that has reduced his seizures from 50-60 a day to about three or four, sometimes none, a day.
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The staff at the N.S. Firefighter School, along with those at Station 45 Fall River, put together a full day of firefighting for Jacob.
That included him getting to fight to controlled fires on the training grounds, and one real live fire to end his day with close assistance from Prevost and Chris MacKenzie, senior instructor at the fire school.
Upon arrival at the Fire School on Powder Mill Drive in Waverley, Jacob was greeted by many of their fire instructors and Make-A-Wish representatives. Oh and Sparky the fire dog.
The first thing Jacob did was give a great big high five to Sparky. They went inside the fire school where things were setup for the special day, and shortly after did a tour.
He was brought to a table first that had a yellow firefighting helmet done up with a number and his name on it, and a few other gifts as well including a belt with a fire radio attached. That was donated by the company that does them.
After the tour was done, it was time to practice seeing how Jacob did with the oxygen mask and BA tank on him. He did great so it was off to get him suited up in some firefighting gear and ready for any calls the fire department might receive.
Upstairs, the fire school along with his dad helped find the proper gear that would fit him and be safe for his big fire fighting adventure that awaited him.
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With Jacob, and his dad Nicholas Scott, all geared up it was just time to wait for the toners to go off for any fire calls. Sure enough, they did to a vehicle fire.
Off the fire crews went to the car fire, where Jacob and the firefighters all put on their masks and SCBA tanks ready to fight the controlled fire.
It was put out in no time, and back to the fire school hall they went to cool down and rehydrate. They didn’t get much time to recuperate, and the toners went for a dumpster fire.
At this call, while it was controlled the fire was extinguished by Jacob and the amount of water he sprayed on it, an impressive feat.
Following that it was time for some lunch in the school—pizza from Jessy’s Pizza—and some cooling off from the firefighting gear that had Jacob sweating.
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As lunch was almost done, there was a third call for a fire—this one a structure fire (a shed was on fire). This fire was a real live fire.
For this call, the fire engine responded along with a second truck the fire school has, driven by Sparky to the scene.
Jacob and his fellow firefighters geared up and Jacob led the attack on the fire dousing it within minutes of arrival on scene. Once the fire was declared extinguished, a big yell erupted and there were plenty of high fives to go around from Jacob.
As he unmasked the smile, although a little tired-looking, was still very evident on his face as his day of fighting fires came to a close.
Back at the fire school, Jacob was presented with a certificate marking his as an Honorary Junior Firefighter with the N.S. Fire School. And once that was done, the second-best part of the day happened for Jacob—it was time for cake.
